Lister-cultivator.



PATENTED DEC, 8, 1903.

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PATENTED DEC. 8, 1903.

0. E. JOHNSTON. LISTER OULTIVATOR. APPIJIGATION FILED JUNE 8,1903.

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0. E. JOHNSTON.

LISTER GULTIVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8.1903.

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No 746,633. PA ED DEC. 8, 1903.

0. :E. JOHNSTON LISTER GULTIVATOR.

' APPLIUATION FILED JUNE 8.1908. H0 MODEL.

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UNITED. STATES Patented December 8, 1903.

I PATENT OFFICE.

OMAN. E. JOHNSTON-OF BELLEVUE, 01110, ASSIGNOR TO THE 01110 OULTIVATORCOMPANY, OF BELLEVUE, 01110, A CORPORATION OF LISTER-CU LTIVATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 746,633, dated December8, 1903.

Application filed June 8,1903. Serial No. 160,605. (No model.)

To a'ZZ whomit may concern:

Be it'known that I, OMAN E. JOHNSTON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bellevue, in the county of Huron and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Lister-Oultivators,ofwhich the two-row cultivators, and has for its object to provide acultivator of this class adapted for the cultivation of corn, not onlyat the beginning of its growth, but also after it has reached a heightwhere cultivators of this class as usually constructed cannot be used.

A further object of the inventionis to effect a firm connection betweenthe cultivator-sections, which will permit the desired play betweenthem, while at the same time maintaining them in an upright position.

A still further object is to provide an efficient and readily-operatedmechanism for raising and lowering the cultivating devices. To these andother ends my invention consists in certain novel features, which I willnow proceed to describe and will then particularly point out in theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a rear elevation of aconstruction embodying my invention in one form. Fig. 2 is a plan viewof one-half of the same. Fig. 3is a side elevation showing thecultivating devices in a lowered position. Fig. 4 is a view similar toFig. 3, showing the cultivating devices raised. Fig. 5 is a rearelevation of one of the arches arranged for cultivating high corn. Fig.6 is a detail view of a portion of one of the arches arranged forcultivating low corn. Fig. 7'is a detail view of a portion of Fig. 6 invertical section. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of thesaddle-blocks.

trating the guiding connections between the archand tongue.

In a general way the structure consists, like Fig. 9 is an enlargedvertical sectionalview takenon the most of its type, of twoindependently-movable cultivator-sections having separatedraftconnections and themselves connected by a seat-bar resting on andsupported by them, said cultivator-sections being laterally andlongitudinally movable relatively to said seatbar and to each other.

In the present instance 1 indicates the seatbar, which is centrallyprovided with a drivers seat 2 and with a stirrup-frame 3 or othersuitable support for the drivers feet. It will be noted that thisseat-bar is support ed at a distanceabove the surface of the soil verymuch greater than, and, in fact, about twice as great as, the distanceheretofore employed in practice. The seat therefore need not be raisedon high supports above the seatbar, but may rest directly thereon, asshown.

The two cultivator-sections being identical in construction, I willdescribe the construction of only one of them, it being understood thatthe same description is applicable to the other section. The main frameof said section (indicated as a whole by means of the referencenumeral4) comprises an archshaped body portion consisting of a trans verse topmember5and inclined downward lydiverging legs or lateral members 6. Thelower ends of these lateral members 6 of the arch are extendedhorizontallyputward in opposite directions, forming supporting-arms 7,to which the supporting-wheels or other supporting devices and thecultivating devices may be attached. The frame 4. is preferablyconstructed of a single piece of metal in the form of a channel-bar U-shaped in cross-section, as shown. Each section-frame 41 is carried bysupporting-wheels B, which are connected with the supporting-arms 7bymeans of standards 9, removably and adjustably connected with saidarms at their upper ends by suitable clamps 10. The cultivatorsection isprovided with a tongue 11, to which the draft-animals are attached, andthe frame 4 is connected to said tongue on each side thereof by means ofa bar 12, having its upper forward end connected to the tongue, asindicated at 13, while its lower rear end is pivotally connected at 14,between lugs 15, projecting from a box or coupling 16, secured to thesupporting-arm 7. The bolts which form the connections between the bars12 and the frame 4 constitute pivots upon which said frame may turn,thus permitting the top of the arch to be swung forward and back in themanner hereinafter described. In order to guide the top of the archduring this move ment there are mounted on the top member 5 of the archtwo guide-yokes 17, between which the rear end of the tongue passes. Oneof these guide-yokes is shown in detail in Fig. 11, and it will be seenthat it comprises a base 18, by means of which it is secured to the topof the arch, and a vertical portion 19, from which guiding-jaws 20 and21 extend horizontally outward. The under surface of the upper guide-jaw20 is beveled or cut away at the forward portion thereof, as indicatedat 22, while the upper surface of the lower jaw 21 is similarly beveledor cut away at the rear, as shown at 23. The tongue 11 is provided oneach side thereof with a curved guide-bar 24, passing between the jaws20 and 21 of the correspondingguide-yoke, said guide-yokes lying betweenthe guide-bars and tongue, so that the upper end of the arch is properlyguided and supported relatively to the tongue throughout its range ofmovement. The beveling or cutting away of the respective front and rearbearing-surface of the jaws prevents any binding of the parts at thelimits of motion.

The tongue is supported relatively to the seat-bar 1 by means of aturning circle or annular support 25, secured to the tongue and havingits upper or bearing surface in a horizontal plane. The seat-bar restsupon and is supported by this turning circle with which it is connectedby the following devices: The seat-bar is provided with a longitudinalslot 26, above which is located a guide-bar 27, which extends the entirelength of the slot longitudinally thereof. This guide-bar is preferablyof inverted-U shapein cross-section, as indicated in Fig. 10. Theturning circle 25 has mounted to slide freely thereon two slides 28,located at diametrically opposite points. These slides are preferablyconstructed as shown in detail in Figs. 9 and 10, in which figures itwill be noted that the turning circle 25 is L shape in cross-sectionwhile.

the slide 28 is constructed of two separable parts 29 and 30, united bybolts 31. Each slide 28 is provided with two bearing-lugs 32, whichextend upward in the spaces between the guide-bar 27 and the side wallsof the slot 26, the guide-bar 27 passing between said lugs. Aguide-roller 33 is mounted between the upper ends of the lugs 32, theguide-bar 27 passing under said bearing-roller and being restrained fromupward motion thereby. The two bearing-rollers located at opposite sidesof the turning circle thus maintain said circle in parallelism with theseat-bar 1, and thereby keep the tongue 11 and the frame 4 in properrelation with the seat-bar, preventing the frame from tilting laterallywith respect thereto. It will be seen that each cultivator-section isnevertheless free to move longitudinally with respect to the seat-barand to assume different angular relations in a horizontal planerelatively thereto, these movements being necessary in a cultivator ofthis type.

Ordinarily there will not be sufficient friction between the meetingsurfaces of the seatbar and turning circle to be objectionable; but, ifit be deemed desirable, this friction may be relieved by providing eachslide 28,

with a supporting-roller 34, mounted on the slide so as to bear on theunder side of the guide-rail 27. Where the guide-rail is of theinverted-U shape in cross-section shown, this supporting-roller 34 ismounted on lugs 35 on the upper surface of the member 29 of the slideand is inclosed between the vertical flanges or members of theguide-rail, as shown in Fig. 9.

The construction hereinbefore described is such that I am enabled toemploy high arches for the frames of the cultivator-sections, thuspermitting the use of the machine when the corn has grown to aconsiderable height without exposing the machine to the danger ofcollapse by reason of lateral yielding of the cultivator-section. Thisis due to thefact that the construction described is adapted towithstand the severe lateral strains exerted on the cultivator-sectionsby reason of the height above the ground of their connection with theseat-bar.

The tilting of the arch of each cultivatorsection forward and back isfor the purpose of raising and lowering the cultivating devices, whichare connected to the supportingarms 7 or an extension thereof(hereinafter referred to) in such a manner that the rotation of the arms7 caused by this tilting will raise or lower the cultivating devices. Inthe present instance I have shown cultivatingdisks 36, connected to thearms 7 by dragbars or beams 37, and cultivating-teeth 38, connected tothe arms 7 by beams or dragbars 39. The connection at the forward end ofthese beams is by means of clips or clamping devices 40, which areadjustable on and detachable from the supporting-arms,and thecultivating devices may be of any approved description and may beprovided with any of the approved means for varying their relations toeach other and to the supporting-arms 7. The forward and rearwardtilting of the frame 4 is efiected by means of a hand-lever 41, having asuitable fixed fulcrum 42, supported in fixed relation to the tongue orturning circle, said lever being provided with the usual locking-segment43 and pawl 44. The

lever 41 is horizontally arranged, so as to extend to a point withineasy reach of the drivers seat and is yieldingly connected with theupper end of a vertical lever 45, pivoted to the tongue at '46 andhaving its lower end connected by links 47 with the frame 4 at a pointabove the pivotal axis 14. This latter connection is preferably effectedby means of a pivot-bolt 48, passing through one of the members 6 of theframe 4 and through any one of a number of holes 49 in the rear end ofthe link 47, so that the connection may be adjusted at this point asdesired. Similarly the connection between the forward end of said linkand the lever is preferably by means of a pivot-bolt 50, passing throughthe 'link and through any one of a series of holes to the levers 41 and45, so thata certain amount of freedom of movementis permitted to thelever 45 without affecting the lever 41, while this latter may whenunlocked be used to actuate the lever 45 as desired.

In order to counterbalance the weight of the parts to be lifted to anextent sufficient to facilitate the working of the lever 41, I employ alifting-spring 55, the forward end of which is connected to the tongue11, while its rear end is connected to the top of the arch of theframe4. This spring serves to relieve the lever 41 of a portion of the weightof the cultivatingdevices during the operation of lifting the same fromthe ground. It will thus be seen that the driver, seated at the middleof the seat-bar, has within easy reach the two levers 41, by means ofwhich the cultivating devices may be readily raised, lowered, oradjusted, as desired. In Fig. 3 the cultivating devices are shown aslowered, although not to the limit of their downward motion, while inFig. 4said cultivating devices are shown as raised above the soil ininoperative position. It will be observed that the tilting of the archby which this raising and lowering is effected takes place around thepivotal axis 14, thesupportingwheels 8 moving slightly to the rear asthe top of the arch moves forward. v

During the later stages of cultivation it is required that the archesshall be unobstructed in order to permit the standing corn to passthrough them. During the earlier cultivations, however, when the corn islow, this necessity does not exist, and it is desirable at the same timeto bring the supportingwheels and cultivating devices closer together atthis time. To accomplish this and at the same time strengthen the frame4, I employ a detachable bar 56, which is secured to the lower ends ofthe leg portions 6 of each archframe in line with the supporting-arms 7,of which it forms practically an extension. This bar is preferably ofthe same U shape in cross-section as the arch-frame and is secured inposition at each end by means of a saddle-block 57. (Shown in detail inFigs. 7

and 8 Each saddle-block 57 is provided with a projection 58 and seat 59tofit the adjacent part of the frame 4 and with a similar projection 60and seat 61 to receive the end of the bar 56. A bolt 62 secures thesaddleblock to the frame 4, and a bolt 63 secures said block to the bar56. By reason of this construction when the arch is not needed onaccount of the height of the corn the arch is strengthened by the bar56, and said bar forms a means for the attachment thereto of thesupporting and cultivating devices or any portion of them in such a wayas to enable them to be brought more closely together.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise detailsof construction hereinbefore described, and shown in the accompanyingdrawings, as the same may be obviously modified without departing fromthe principle of my invention. For instance, those portions of thecircular tracks or ways 25 over which the slides and seat-bar do not inpractice travel may be omitted.

Having thus fully described myinvention, what-I claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. .In a two-row lister-cultivator, the combination, with twocultivator-sections, each provided with a circular track or way, and

with slides engaging with said way on opposite sides thereof, of aseat-bar, each end of which rests on one of the sections and is providedwith a longitudinal guide-bar having positive sliding engagement withthe slides of its supporting-section, whereby the seatbar is free tomove longitudinally of itself and transversely of'the machineindependently of the slides at each end, the slides moving in unisonwith the seat-bar laterally of said seat-bar, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a two-row lister-cultivator, the combination, with twocultivator-sections, each provided with a circular track or way, andwith slides engaging with said way on opposite sides thereof, of aseat-bar, each end of which is supported on one of said tracks or waysand is provided with a longitudinal guide-bar having positive slidingengagement with the slides of its supporting-section, whereby theseat-bar is free to move longitudinally of itself and transversely ofthe machine independentlyof the slides at each end, the slides movinginunison with the seat-bar laterally of said seat-bar, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a two-row lister-cultivator, the combination, with twocultivator-sections, each provided with a circular track or way, andwith slides engaged with said way on opposite sides thereof, and eachprovided with a guiding-roller, of a seat-bar, each end of which restsonone of the sections and is provided with a longitudinal guide-bar havinga sliding engagement with the slides of its supporting-section, theguiding-rollers bearing on the top of the guide-bars, substantially asdescribed.

4.-. In a two-row lister-cultivator, the combination, with twocultivator-sections, each provided with a circular track or way, andwith slides engaged with said way on opposite sides thereof, and eachprovided with an upper guiding-roller and a lower supportingroller, of aseat-bar, each end of which is provided with a longitudinal guide-barpassing between the rollers of the slides of its supporting-section,substantially as described.

5. In a two-row lister-cultivator, the combination, with twocultivator-sections, each provided with a circular track or way, andwith slides engaged with said Way on opposite sides thereof, of aseat-bar, each end of which is supported by one of the sections and isprovided with a longitudinal slot through which the slides of thesupporting-section extend, and with a longitudinal guide-bar havingsliding engagement with said slides, substantially as described.

6. 'In a two-row lister-cultivator, the combination, with twocultivator-sections, each comprising a tongue provided witha circulartrack or way having slides engaged therewith, and an arched frameconnected with said tongue and provided with supporting and cultivatingdevices, of an elevated seatbar, each end of which rests on one of thesections and is provided with a longitudinal guide-bar having a slidingengagement with the slides of its supporting-section, substantially asdescribed.

7. In a two-row lister-cultivator, the com bination, with twocultivator-sections, each comprising a tongue provided with a circulartrack or way having slides engaged therewith, and an arched frameprovided with supporting and cultivating devices, and connected withsaid tongue so as to tilt longitudinally to raise and lower thecultivating devices, of an elevated seat-bar, each end of which rests onone of the sections and is provided with a longitudinal guide-bar havingsliding engagement with the slides of its supporting-section,substantially as described.

8. In a two-row lister-cultivator, the combination, with twocultivator-sections, each comprising a tongue provided with a circulartrack or way having slides engaged therewith, an arched frame providedwith supporting and cultivating devices and connected with said tongueso as to tilt longitudinally to raise and lower the cultivating devices,and an operating-lever extending toward the center of the seat-bar andoperatively connected with the cultivating devices, of an elevatedseat-bar, each end of which rests on one of the sections and is providedwith a longitudinal guide-bar having sliding engagement with the slidesof its supportingsection, said seat-bar being provided with a centralseat adjacent to which the operatinglevers terminate, substantially asdescribed.

9. A cultivator-section for a two-row listercultivator, comprising atongue provided with vertically curved longitudinally arrangedguide-bars on each side thereof, an arched frame provided withguiding-yokes located between said guide-bars and the tongue and havingguiding-jaws between which the guide-bars pass, and bars extending fromthe tongue to a pivotal connection with the lower portion of the archedframe, substantially as described.

10. Acultivator-section foratwo-row listercultivator, comprising atongue provided with vertically curved longitudinally arrangedguide-bars on each side thereof, an arched frame provided withguiding-yokes located between said guide-bars and tongue and havingguiding-jaws between which the guide-bars pass, bars extending from thetongue to a pivotal connection with the lower portion of the archedframe, a lever operatively connected with the arched frame to tilt thesame longitudinally, and a lift-spring connecting the arched frame andthe tongue, substantially as described.

11. A cultivator-section for a two-row listercultivator,comprising atongue provided with means for guiding the upper ends of the archedframe, an arched frame guided thereby at its upper end, bars extendingfrom the tongue to a pivotal connection with the lower portion of thearched frame,a horizontal handlever mounted on the tongue, a verticallever also mounted on the tongue and connected at its upper end with thehorizontal lever, and a link connecting the lower end of the verticallever with the arched frame, substantially as described.

12. A cultivato r-section for a two-row listercultivator,comprising atongue provided with guiding devices, an arched frame having its upperend guided thereby, bars extending from the tongue to a pivotalconnection with the lower portion of the arched frame, a horizontaloperating-lever provided with looking devices, a vertical lever havingits upper end yieldingly connected with the horizontal lever, and a linkconnecting the lower end of the vertical lever with the arched frame,sub stantially as described.

13. In a cultivator-section foratwo-row lister-cultivator, an archedframe provided with horizontal alined supporting-arms diverging from itslower ends, in combination with a removable bar connecting said lowerends and forming an extension or continuation of said supporting-arms,substantially as described.

14. In a cultivator-section for a two-row lister-cultivator,thecombination,with an arched frame having horizontal supporting-armsdiverging from its lower ends, of saddle-blocks fitted and removablysecured to said lower ends, and a connecting-bar fitted and removablysecured to said saddle-blocks and forming an extension or continuationof the supporting-arms, substantially as described.

IIO

ing with the circular track on opposite sides thereof, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

OMAN E. JOHNSTON.

Witnesses:

GEO. FRIEND, D. V. BOOHER.

